Blue Sky
by aprille-hime
Summary: AU College. Sasunaru. Sasuke's life revolved only around himself. But when rivals appeared, how long will he able to deny the only person who managed to turn his world upside down. Nejinaru. Gaanaru.
1. Blue and Black

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and Sasuke are not mine and I don't make profit out of this.

**Pairings**: Need to say more?

**Warnings:** Alternate Universe. College fic. SasuNaru fluff and more.

**Summary:** Sasuke's life revolved only around himself. But when rivals appeared, how long will he able to deny the only person who managed to turn his world upside down. NejiNaru, GaaNaru.

_**Blue Sky**_

**Chapter One**

**Blue and Black**

* * *

_One more minute and I'm out of here…_

Sasuke tapped his fingers impatiently against the dust-free and sparkling desk before him. Behind the antique table was a woman who suspiciously looked like a drag queen with the all the make-up and lipstick. He glared at the woman. He's usually a very patient person, but when it comes to dealing with drooling hags and wrinkled fangirls…_Gross…_

"When can I pick my car?" The question came out harsher than he intended. _Not my fault._ He scrunched his nose in disgust and irritation and began tapping the desk louder. The deep and cool voice that came out from the cherry red lips of the pale and very handsome Uchiha pulled the woman back to earth and fortunately right back on her swivel chair. Her fingers on the desk began to tremble and to Sasuke's horror she was blushing.

_Ain't a woman that old already banned from blushing?_

"What…is…your name s…sir?" She asked in a low and dragging voice obviously trying to make it sound sexy. But it didn't work. It had sounded much more like croaking to Sasuke's ears than anything else. He stopped the urge to roll his eyes and vomit in chagrin.

"Uchicha Sasuke."

The woman began shuffling the papers on top of her very neat desk, her trembling lessening slightly but her cheeks looked worse, like a rotten tomato or something.

"Uchiha Sasuke." She said the words hoarsely and Sasuke had a really strong urge to vomit. She stopped shambling the white sheets when she found what she was looking for and opened one of the drawers to let out another sheet of paper.

"Please sign this…sir." She said again in the same annoying tone. But what made Sasuke cringed so badly was the way she was looking at him…like he was some kind of…of food…

_I had enough._

He snatched the fountain pen she was holding, careful not to let her fingers brush against his and quickly signed on the damn paper. When he handed the pen back to her, he noticed that her nails were colored bloody red and he flinched inwardly. He pushed away the unnecessary thoughts and headed quickly for the door, not bothering to look back nor question her further about his car. He'd call the shop later. He didn't even spare her a glance when she called him for a cup of coffee.

* * *

"Thank you so much Naruto-kun." The pale-eyed Hyuuga girl blushed prettily and bowed gracefully before his blonde companion. Naruto grinned widely, the sun matching the brightness of his hair and the sparkle of his blue eyes. He clutched Hinata's books tightly against his chest and nudged her forward a little. 

"Hinata-chan, that was like the millionth time already." He laughed gawkily and started to walk forward in little steps that matched hers.

It was the first day of classes at Konoha University and Naruto's the complete epitome of content and excitement at the very moment. Because not only was he to start college but he was also starting to live on his own. _Minus dog boy that is…_He lived in a small apartment a few blocks away from where he spotted Hinata walking alone. They had been classmates in high school but she was always so shy and reserved that they never had a chance to become close. It was Neji, Hinata's cousin and whom Naruto considered as one of his closest friends who had introduced him to her. After that, they never really talked that much. Naruto found it extremely weird of her to blush every time she looked at him.

"How come you're alone on the first day, Hinata-chan? Where is Neji?" He asked politely. Neji has always been the busy one, Student Council President and a consistent Dean's Lister, anyone would thought that guy had no social life. But Neji was what the entire population of the Konoha Highschool considered as Mr. Perfect, perfect grades, perfect family and perfect looks _(Hell! He's even prettier than Hinata-chan!)._ He wouldn't have a hard time picking friends and companions…the reason he had chosen Naruto to be the closest one to him and probably the only friend he can trust and care about was beyond the said blonde. _I didn't know then that kicking someone's ass will make you his best friend…_

Hinata's cheeks colored again before she shook his head. "Neji-san was called earlier today by his SC advisor." She answered softly, her fingers playing with the hem of her blue sweatshirt, twirling the cloth like a nervous child who did something very wrong.

"Ohh…that guy…" He shook his head in disbelief and added, "Always acting cool around everyone." Naruto looked disgusted at the thought of getting up earlier than what he usually does. _Plain torture …_

Hinata bit back a laugh and smiled sweetly in a very…Hinata-way. She a looked at her wristwatch and noticed Naruto did the same. _We are running a bit late._ Naruto realized this as well and was already looking thunderstruck and panicky. Hinata laughed a bit, amused at the blonde boy and noticed for the umpteenth time what a sight Naruto had become. His blonde hair had always been spiky as far as she could remember but the way they framed his tanned face now…and the bright blue eyes that perfectly matched his golden locks and tanned complexion… _He's attractive…_ Hinata blushed even more at that thought.

Way back in high school, Naruto was the "idiot prankster" as what people liked to call him. He skipped classes and did horrendous stuff to other people and to the facilities of the school, vandalizing every now and then when opportunity and inspiration strike him. He was the constant topic of teachers, the center of riots in Konoha High school and the target of sermons by the school principal, Sarutobi. A lot of rumors circulated in school at that time. That he was a son of a notorious criminal who had killed a hundred and did other crimes along the way. There were people who swore he was a criminal himself at the age of eight and to Hinata's horror, a lot of people really believed those rumors. They seem to have found ways to hate the boy and Hinata pitied him badly for that. It was a good thing all of that were in the past now. He had already proved his worth to everyone. Even though many were still reluctant to be with the "idiot prankster", he wasn't talked about as badly as before. The taunts were still there but had only been at a minimal and tolerable level. And besides…_who could resist Naruto?_

"Hey, Hinata-chan, let's use the subway." Naruto looked at her adorably and she blushed deeply.

"I…I never…" She stuttered, looking unsure and scared. _I've never been in a subway before…_She looked at Naruto and saw the panic and excitement in his eyes. _He must be really excited today… Well, I guess if Naruto-kun is with me…_

"It's okay, I've tried it before and I enjoyed it a lot. Come on Hinata-chan, I heard public transports are in strike today, we won't be able to find one. Come on, we'll be late.." Naruto insisted and before Hinata could say anything, she was dragged by the blonde boy, his hand clutching her small wrist. _I've already lost count of the times I've blushed around him…_

* * *

People continued to flood onto the platform. There were those holding their suitcases with one hand and the other busy groping their cellphones, busy shouting at whoever it was at the end of the line. There were the groups of teenagers, swapping compact mirrors and deep colored lipsticks, conversing among themselves about the latest celebrity gossips and fashion statements. There were the jocks with their headsets on totally oblivious to their surroundings, parents tugging at their children, students eager to get into their first classes and there were absolutely ones like Uchiha Sasuke, running late and swearing words that made the devil beam in satisfaction, thumb sticking out of his hand in approval.. 

"Damn you Itachi…" Sasuke swore under his breath, leaning on a poorly vandalized pillar. He was sweating and his breath was hitching. It's true that he reached the subway on time but with all the conflicts he encountered along the way, he might as well have dropped dead now, school completely forgotten. He looked at the tiny card on his palm and put it in his pocket for safekeeping. _Car broken…No Taxis…Because of Itachi…_He glared at each and everyone he laid his eyes on, his eyes narrowing into tiny slits and his lips forming a perfect line. He was scandalized, robbed and had walked a long way and lost countless of times. This is starting to be the worst day of my entire life. That was true of course except that all the bad days of his life included Itachi in it and all are the worst, if that's even possible.

A loud screeching sound reverberated and Sasuke had no clue what else to do but follow the people as they scampered towards the little doors, squeezing themselves and others in the process. Sasuke grunted irritably. _These people have no dignity…_

* * *

Naruto and Hinata reached the subway with no delay. Lucky for them, they did not wait long for as soon as they inserted their tickets and reached the platform, a loud and piercing noise of the approaching train greeted them. He reached for Hinata's arm (ignoring the blush, _Not again!_) and guided her inside. They found a convenient place and after a few seconds, the train started to move slowly and then speeded up as it progressed on its way. 

"Hinata-chan, just hold on tightly and make sure you stand properly or you'll get swayed easily." Naruto instructed patiently to Hinata. The girl was easily losing her balance. He smiled in understanding and showed her the correct way. He did the same thing to Neji before, after he insisted, pouted and whined to make him ride the train with him. It wasn't that hard of a task because Neji easily gave in and had learned pretty quickly. He had even caught Naruto a couple of times when he toppled and slipped.

"Ah…o…ok…aay…Naruto-kun " Hinata's face looked exactly the same color as a tomato and Naruto swore in the name of _ramen_ that he heard a _woosshing_ sound coming out of Hinata, similar to the sound of a kettle when it's boiling. Hinata was holding on to Naruto's right arm as if her life depended on it. He readjusted Hinata's books against his chest and reached again for the metal bar above him followed by the screeching sound of the train slowing down as it reached its first stop.

"We'll reach _our_ stop in ten minutes Hinata-chan." He informed her and she nodded, her eyes had been closed and her hold had tightened considerably when the train moved again. He smiled a little, enjoying the ride. _We will make it in time…_

He had received a call from Iruka-sensei the day before. They had talked for a couple of hours to catch up with each other, talking about how they spent their vacation. His favorite sensei even gave him tips on how to start his school right and in the end, it was mostly Iruka-sensei who did the talking. Before they hang up, he persistently reminded Naruto over and over again about him being late all the time and that he had no sense of time. He wanted to get back at his teacher for reprimanding him so much that he suggested they have a bet and that if he won, his he will have to treat him for lunch. Thinking about the number of bowls of ramen he'll make Iruka-sensei buy for him tomorrow, he grinned as wide as his mouth can manage…

…And then it happened. The train sped up faster and the lights began to dim, or _is it just me?_ He started to feel uncomfortable all of sudden and the hairs on his back started to stand on ends. _What the hell is happening?_

* * *

"He's so hot." A girl squeaked somewhere. Sasuke had no idea and he didn't give a damn. He already considered this day _officially_ as the worst day of his life and on top of the list of his _Bad Days Without Itachi_. The other list with Itachi on it in every fucking number is a different story. Sasuke chose to ignore the girls, the fags and everyone, his eyes resting on the glass pane of the train. The outside of the train was so dark and he welcomed the company… 

…And he blinked. He blinked again and stared back at the glass pane. _Something is not right…_ He blinked some more but the vision did not vanish, on the contrary, the clarity was enhanced some more. The train was gaining speed as if it didn't want to stop any moment soon but Sasuke took no notice. He was drawn into…something _so_ _much_ that it unnerved him. He blinked a couple of times more and saw again right on the reflection on the window pane was a striking blonde hair and the bluest orbs he had ever seen. He tore his eyes away from the reflection and let his gaze wander for the real thing. It was not difficult. The almost shoulder length blonde hair was too bright to miss. He fixed his gaze on him. I'm barely taller…And then, the blonde head moved and tilted… Sasuke's eyes widened and his breathing had stopped his pulse quickening and his chest tightening painfully. _What the fuck is wrong with me!_

The blonde head continued to tilt as if looking for something…anything and before Sasuke's mind had sent him the message _Look away! Look away!_ and the red warning lights to reach his conscious mind, their eyes locked. And Sasuke knew there was _no_ turning back.

**To be continued…**

A/N: Reviews and constructive criticisms will be very much appreciated.


	2. Revelation

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and Sasuke are not mine and I don't make profit out of this.

**Pairings:** Need to say more?

**Warnings:** Alternate Universe. College fic. SasuNaru fluff and more.

**Summary:** Sasuke's life revolved only around himself. But when rivals appeared, how long will he able to deny the only person who managed to turn his world upside down. NejiNaru, GaaNaru.

_**Blue Sky**_

**Chapter Two**

**Revelation**

* * *

Tap…Tap…Tap…

_7:52…_

"There were a lot of complaints from female freshmen concerning Jiraiya-sensei for the last two consecutive terms." A plump girl with brimming pink glasses spoke in worry and mild disgust. She eyed the thick white sheets on her desk and began flipping them one by one, the crease on her forehead increasing as she scanned the contents of the 50-paged-typed-written report. When she deemed that she had enough proof right on her hands, she raised her head pointedly across the table where the Student Council President sat, his arms folded across his chest. She looked at him expectantly, her portly fingers making pattering noises against the large oval table.

Neji however remained composed despite the somewhat severity of what she said and withdrew his gaze from his wristwatch to look at her. "We'll address that issue later…Any more student grievances?" The tapping noises died down and silence reigned inside the room. He glanced at them one by one (ignoring the curious and perturbed looks he received after that last statement) as if daring them to say something. When no one dared, he let an indistinct smile grace his handsome face.

_7:53…_

He reached for the stack of papers lying before him and neatly placed them inside a long brown envelope, with **Important Documents** written in bold letters on the front. When no one had yet spoken, he stood up and regarded them coolly.

"We'll continue this some other time. Meeting adjourned." He then turned his back on them and walked towards the end of the room to fetch his bag and a couple of books, feeling the stares directed to him but purposely paying no heed. When he reached the door, his right hand clasping the handle, the Student Affairs Secretary who spoke earlier cleared her throat. Everybody else looked terrified.

"Ahemm…President?" The girl was obviously nervous but by the looks of it, her curiosity was overpowering her nerves. Hyuuga Neji had _never_ postponed any Student Council meeting before especially not in the _middle_ of discussing _grave_ student complaints. Hyuuga Neji had never adjourned any meeting _without_ discussing the matters thoroughly and Hyuuga Neji had never looked at his wristwatch for more than four times during meetings (yeah, she's very observant…). The girl reached to her own conclusion that their President was distracted and was not acting like himself on the first day. If he will act like this for the whole term, well…she did not want to think of the possibilities.

"Yes, what is it?" Neji did not even move a muscle.

_7:55 and fifteen seconds…_

The girl flinched by the urgent tone of his voice and she sunk lowly in her seat. No amount of curiosity can salvage her position and most importantly her life. Neji-san was a kind person but when it came to his personal space… "Se…see you a…around President."

_7:56…_

He nodded and exited the room. _Classes are about to start…_He walked casually on the almost deserted hallway, missing nothing along his way. He nodded absentmindedly as a few people smiled and waved at him. He descended the stairs gracefully, his long black hair swaying slightly against his back. The sight of the President in all his handsome glory made students stop and stare. Girls stopped their giggling and gossip sessions to drool which in turn earned them scandalized looks from the males. The others who did not drop their eyeballs from their sockets chose to stay out of the way of _The_ Hyuuga. There was something in him that demanded respect and awe and those who did not want to get on the bad side of the entire university must not mess up with him. But despite the attention he was getting, Neji made no indication that he had noticed. He peered at his wristwatch meticulously, a smile threatening to blossom from his lips.

_Almost time…_

He lips curved up lightly in a small smile. Those who managed to see this very rare display of emotion forgot to close their hanging mouths even when the President was out of their sight. Neji descended the stairs and reached the sliding door of the North Building. He halted and waited patiently…

"OI! NEJI!" Neji immediately saw the striking blonde hair of his friend. He ignored his sudden breathing problem and smiled genuinely at the approaching Naruto. _No one can make me smile like this…_

"Neji! Is…it time…already?" Naruto reached him and stopped talking to inhale some air. He looked like he had run a mile. His face was flushed, his hair was chaotic and his chest was heaving. But his blue eyes…his blue eyes shone brightly as ever. Neji's chest constricted painfully at the sight. Ignoring the sudden rush of emotions in seeing his friend in such an adorable state, he grabbed Naruto's arm and dragged him.

"It depends. Now let's get you into your class." He was about to pull Naruto up the stairs when he noticed another presence right behind them. He was surprised to see Hyuuga Hinata trotting right behind Naruto, in the same state as he was. _Could it be?_ Hinata stopped walking and looked at her cousin, her eyes widening briefly as she bowed her head before him.

"Good Morning Neji-san." Hinata greeted uncertainly. She raised her head nervously to meet Neji's calculating gaze. Even though they were cousins, the two Hyuugas were not very close. They talked very little to each other and the few times they did were done very formally.

"I met Hinata-chan this morning Neji." Naruto explained cheerfully to answer his unspoken question. He didn't seem to notice the sudden thick air that encased the three of them. He grinned at the two. He loosened his hold of the books against his chest and handed them back to Hinata. She reached for them and bowed graciously, her face reddening when his fingers brushed hers.

Neji chose this moment to interrupt. "Hinata-san, good morning." He greeted all too formally. Naruto raised an eyebrow but did not say anything.

"Where is your room?" Neji asked her. Hinata cringed slightly under his gaze and looked guiltily at his cousin. Neji's face however remained impassive.

"…A-12" She answered timidly. Neji raised his arms and pointed to the left of the stairs. Hinata followed his gaze which landed on a door slightly opened, a plate that read A-1 hanging on the top of the glass door pane.

"That is the way to your room. Have a nice day Hinata-san." Without waiting for an answer, he nodded imperceptibly at her before dragging Naruto again.

"See you around Hinata-chan! I enjoyed the ride a lot!" Naruto grinned at her and waved both of his arms as he was pulled and disappeared around the corner.

Hinata looked torn. She did not know whether to be happy or guilty. She was extremely happy that she had spent time with Naruto without fainting once and he even said he had enjoyed her company. But thinking back, the way Neji had looked at her…She couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling that somehow, he made her cousin angry by spending time with Naruto…

* * *

"Oi Neji, do you even know where my class is?" The loud blonde asked him as they ascended the stairs. He ignored the curious and outraged stares they were getting and continued to drag Naruto until they reached the third floor. He then let go of his arms and started to walk ahead of him.

"C-15, right?"

"Bingo!" Naruto beamed at his friend. He adjusted his backpack and straightened his orange shirt as he followed his companion.

Neji looked at him thoughtfully. "That was all you were talking about during summer, remember?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly, "Yeah, guess so. So, what did the _old hag_ want from you?" They walked down the hallway, and turned left. Neji did not approve of the nickname Naruto had for his SC Advisor but that did not stop him from smirking in mirth.

"She asked us to discuss the complaints we got from the past term." He answered after a while. He nodded involuntarily at those who greeted him and looked fiercely at those who dared look at him with questioning eyes.

"Woah, was it _that_ many?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Not _that_ many." They stopped when they reached C-15. The hallway was already empty and quiet. When Naruto peered at the window pane, he saw the professor already pacing around the room holding a small pile of papers. His shoulders sagged and Neji felt sorry for him. He knew about the deal he had with Iruka-sensei. _I guess...it can't be helped…_

He turned Naruto around to face him and placed his hands gently on his shoulders. "Naruto, go inside now. I'll meet you at lunch at Ichiraku." After saying the magic word, Neji braced himself for the outburst. As if on cue, Naruto's eyes widened at Neji.

"You are going to TREAT me!" Naruto's face broke into a huge smile when Neji nodded. Neji looked at him affectionately and refused to let go of his shoulders. _It seems that I'm losing my touch when I'm around him… _He smiled gently at him…_Is that a good sign or a bad sign?_ Before he was able to contemplate on that, a deep baritone voice spoke behind them…

"Move."

* * *

Naruto raised his eyebrow at the rude way the stranger spoke. Neji let go of his shoulders and raised his head to regard the new comer.

"Move." The guy repeated in the same cold voice that made Naruto's rising annoyance fuel more. He turned to face the speaker, his fists clenching beside him…And he stopped, his blue eyes widening in recognition. Neji's eyes turned on him, questioning, but didn't say anything. After a few seconds of staring, Naruto finally overcame his initial surprise and his eyes narrowed in obvious dislike. _This guy…_

"You." He said the word as if he was asking for a fight right then and there. To his surprise and irritation, the guy glared at him _(The hell!)_ with piercing intensity as he made his way towards him. Naruto's eyes broadened. The pale guy stopped when he was a foot away and that was when Naruto realized that there was no way he could win a fight against him so easily. The stranger was obviously taller than him and even though his body was kind of slender, there was something in him that shouted "I'm strong and dangerous". But the loud-mouthed blonde was not the type that will give up on anything without a fight. _I'll teach this bastard a lesson…_

"What is going on here?" Naruto dropped the scowl and flinched when he saw the owner of the voice. _Shit…_Apparently, the professor saw bodies standing outside the room and went out to investigate.

"I _repeat…_what is going on here." The professor was a female with beautiful red eyes and long black hair. She was quite voluptuous and young. She eyed them suspiciously and stopped when he saw the pale-eyed Hyuuga. Her brows relaxed and the folds on her forehead diminished as she looked at the Student Council President.

"Hyuuga-san?"

Neji looked at her undaunted. "Kurenai-sensei, I just walked my friend to his room. Sorry for disturbing the class. I'll leave now." With a final worried glance at Naruto and a curious look at the other, he turned his back on them and strutted down the hallway.

Naruto looked like he swallowed a big fish. _First day and I'm already messing up…_He spared the _bastard_ a heated glance, _all his damn fault…_ The lady professor was looking at them disapprovingly and he readied himself for the upcoming lecture concerning the right demeanor. But to his surprise, she just went inside the room as if nothing happened. He mentally smacked himself, _I forgot this is college already…_ His thoughts were interrupted when the guy walked past him without a word and entered the room. He gritted his teeth and followed.

* * *

Naruto made his way to his favorite ramen eating place, the afternoon heat of the sun burning his already tanned skin. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and arms and he felt the shirt clung to his abdomen and back uncomfortably. He walked faster and stopped shortly when he reached the cool interior of Ichiraku to catch his breath. When he looked up, he immediately saw Neji, sitting on a table for two by the glass window and engrossed in some paper. He walked towards his friend, grinning and slung his backpack at the chair, the straps wounded around the arms.

"Hey, don't let me interrupt you." He said as Neji withdrew his attention from his paper. He made himself comfortable on his seat and picked up the menu on the table to scan its contents although he knew them all by heart. Neji just smiled gently at him before inserting the sheet inside the envelope also lying on the table among his other things.

"You didn't interrupt me. Besides, I was just killing time." He said, removing the contents of the said envelope to straighten the edges before tucking them neatly inside again. Naruto's eyes surveyed around. The place was already cramped and noisy as people entered despite the obvious lack of available seats. But compared to the blazing heat outside, _this is heaven…_ He glanced at Neji again. _He somehow managed to get seats by the window…_

"Did you wait long?" He asked guiltily to his friend as he put down the menu. Neji just shook his head. A slender girl with lavender hair approached them to get their orders and Naruto didn't even blink once when he ordered sukiyaki ramen and soda.

"Don't tell me you're on a diet?" He then asked Neji with a toothy grin when the girl was out of earshot. Pale eyes regarded him in both irritation and amusement that made Naruto smirked in entertainment.

"I had a fried siumai craving this morning." He explained briefly. Naruto looked at him thoughtfully. He put his elbows down on the table and cupped his cheeks with his palms, his eyes looking at Neji in mock concentration.

"At least, _that_ proves you're still human after all. I never thought you have cravings, Neji. What other things do you crave aside from siumai?" He asked in interest. To his utter surprise and bewilderment, Neji's cheeks tainted a very faint pink that Naruto had to shake his head against his palms to clear his fogged up head. When his head had enough of his violent shaking, he looked at his friend and noticed that Neji just looked pensive and _not_ blushing as he had imagined. Naruto frowned at himself for having a bad case of hallucination.

"Just siumai. So how was your first day?" Neji asked and Naruto had the feeling that he purposely averted the topic from his _cravings_. But he immediately forgot the incident when his mind slowly processed the question. His face broke into a huge grin as comprehension dawned in him.

"It was fun!" He exclaimed excitedly and Neji can't help but smile at his friend. Naruto's thrill was very contagious. Then he told Neji all about his first two classes in the morning. His first class was History with Kurenai-sensei and the other one was Biology with Shizune-sensei. All were general subjects of freshmen.

"The North Building sucks Neji! The West Wing is waaaaaay better and the people there treat us like adults already and not some lost highschoolers." Naruto said after slurping a particularly large noodle and coughing when that noodle refused to go down his esophagus. He drank a large portion of his soda and then grinned at his friend in satisfaction.

Neji chomped his siumai scrupulously after dipping it into soy sauce and spices. "Did you meet friends or acquaintances?" He asked after a while.

"Yeah… Remember Kiba?" He swigged the broth and began twirling noodles around his chopsticks.

Neji looked up and furrowed his brows, pondering. "The one who left his house and is staying at your place?" He asked. Neji didn't approve of it when Naruto told him that his friend, Kiba, left home because of some petty fight with his siblings that Neji didn't care to remember, and asked him if he could stay in his apartment. That was two days ago and that Kiba hadn't still made a move to get out and go back to his house.

"That…one…yeah…clarrssrmastes inshhs bsiholsuhgysh." He finished. Luckily, it was Neji he was talking to and one year of being friends with Naruto had enabled him to learn the slur language and had been rather efficient in it.

Neji nodded thoughtfully. He looked at the glass pane for a while to watch bystanders outside Ichiraku and students like them as they escaped the grounds of the university. "Who else?" He asked without meeting his gaze.

Naruto stopped swallowing his noodles. "Only Kiba." He answered before finishing his already cooling ramen. He peered at Neji's wristwatch and had almost jumped when he saw the time.

"Waaah!" He drank down all of his soda and grabbed his backpack. He was already jogging when he faced Neji. His friend looked amused.

"I need to go, Neji. I have a class at 1:30." He explained, as worry etched on his normally carefree face. Neji nodded and smiled gently at him.

"Go ahead. I have to meet someone here in a few minutes." He said.

"SC?"

"Yes, SC matters. Will that be your last class for today, Naruto?"

He nodded, grinning.

"Okay, I'll just see you tomorrow, Naruto. Good luck on your class."

"Bye Neji! Thanks for today. You're the best!" With a final wink and another shake of his head, he jogged out of Ichiraku, the heat of the sun still game for another human torture. _Why did I imagine Neji blushing again?_ With a smack on his head (ignoring passersby's curious stares at him), he dismissed the thought immediately and prayed silently that he wouldn't be late for his next class.

He jogged across the streets, his backpack jumping off and on his back. Thoughts began to swirl inside his head and as he waited for another stoplight to display the green sign, he let his musings resurface. He was not sure, but it looked like Neji wanted him to talk about the pale guy they encountered earlier. The people crowded around him, as they too waited for the go light. Naruto had actually noted his name unconsciously during the first class. _Uchiha Sasuke…_ The green light interrupted his thoughts and he jogged again along with others and slowed his pace when he reached the other side.

It felt weird to hide something from his friend. _I'm not hiding anything…_ He managed to dodge a small boy on his bike as it swerved and dashed away. _And I'm not embarrassed over it…_He started to jog again as he saw the tall gate of Konoha University. The heat was starting to tear his skin and he welcomed the shed as he again darted past bikes and people hurrying like him.

He didn't have the heart to tell Neji exactly what happened in the subway. The expectation and the disappointment… He remembered the trip. He felt then that someone was observing him and when he looked around, his eyes locked with Uchiha Sasuke. He smiled genuinely at him (he didn't know why he did that) and his heart sank when he glared at him as if…_as if he hated me already…_ He sighed sadly and quickened his pace as he reached the North Wing. He immediately frowned when he realized that he had another class in that building. He disregarded the glares directed at him as if it was not something new and scampered up the stairs to D-2.

_I'm used to being hated…Another guy added in the list won't make a slight difference…_He admitted that he was disturbed. He didn't know why the guy hated him so much. It was the first time they met. He didn't know him. He didn't go to Konoha Highschool. He couldn't have heard about him, he wasn't _that _famous or infamous (depends on who's looking at it), was he?He reached the fourth floor and stopped a bit to ease his breathing and smooth down his shirt. With a final assurance that it was nothing and a grin plastered on his face, he entered the room.

_I'm used to people like Uchiha Sasuke…_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke stretched his arms as soon as he dropped his bag on the concrete floor. His bangs flew frantically everywhere but he didn't restrain them. He sighed contentedly and edged forward, his body almost touching the wires that surrounded the perimeter of the rooftop. He peered down uninterestedly. The streets reminded him of his broken car, people irritated him too much especially girls, and noise reminded him of too many things. He looked around the deserted rooftop and satisfied that he was alone (no fangirls lurking behind the tanks and waste bins); he let his guard down. His gaze wandered and eventually landed above…The blue sky looked peaceful yet sad. _Not good…_ Blue reminded him of a certain idiot... He frowned at himself for even entertaining stupid thoughts.

He settled on the rough floor and used his bag to serve as his pillow. He lied on his back and closed his eyes, savoring the afternoon breeze as it whispered soothing things in his ears. His day had been a complete off-balance from the start. Itachi showed at his room an hour before his class to tell him that he left his car in some autoshop after using it in a car race the evening before. How he managed to get hold of the keys still remained a mystery to him…to his fury. He managed to keep his cool in the house because he knew any argument was futile when his brother was involved.

He gripped his bag-turned-to-pillow and glared at the space. He hated his brother so much it actually hurt him. He hated him for being a selfish asshole, stealing his parents' affections away from him as he wasted himself with useless peers and vices. His parents were fools, both of them…He hated himself for being so weak against his brother…for remembering things that were in the past already and for harboring so much feelings of loathing. He gazed at the azure sky; the wisps of clouds were starting to darken as the afternoon wore off. He checked his watch and realized that if he didn't start to go home, he wouldn't make it to dinner. And missed dinner meant a very pissed off father. He sighed irritably and started to get up. He needed to use the subway _again_.

His thoughts wandered again to a certain blonde. _Idiot…_He noticed the glares directed at the boy, although he didn't know the reason. _How could he still smile? _He shrugged; it's none of his business after all. With another look at the darkening hue of the sky, he tugged his bag to him and made his way to the exit door.

* * *

Naruto's grin was ear-to-ear. His last class for the day was literature. The professor made them read poetry aloud in their own seats asking them to follow the way he read. Naruto sniggered when he remembered the posture and the hand gestures. Gai-sensei was too much enthusiastic for a first day, not that he didn't like it.

He walked down the streets of Konohagure City, as people rushed to grocery stores and pharmacies for their rush hour shopping. _I need to get a job soon…_ He was fired last week in his job in a restaurant when one of the customers there shouted at him and called him a monster. He didn't mind it but apparently the little show caused a disturbance around the restaurant and soon, people started to leave. It was humiliating. The owner apologized to him for firing such a responsible and passionate worker. _I need to get a job where I won't be exposed too much…Or at least somewhere that grown-ups can't see me…_He knew he could handle kids and teens because he could fight back anytime, but he could never do such a thing to adults. He was always helpless around them.

"You, monster!" He stopped on his tracks and spun around. _When will they stop?_ He gritted his teeth and prepared himself for a fight. Konoha Highschool was partially wrong in their judgment about him. He was the center of fights there not because he started them but because he had no choice but to fight for himself.

Two grown-up guys glared at him as they approached him menacingly. He started to back off when he saw the devilish gleam in their eyes. He frantically looked around for someone he could ask for help. The next thing he knew, someone grabbed his collar and dragged him. His back slammed against the brick wall and he stifled a cry.

"What are you still doing here monster?" The taller guy leered at him.

"Shut up!" He snapped. He tried to get up but the other one slammed his knee on his abdomen and he yelped in pain. His eyes stung from the unshed tears but he managed to regain his control. Someone laughed, but he didn't know which one because he had closed his eyes.

"Bastards!" He growled. That earned him another hit on his stomach and he held himself from vomiting. He collapsed on the cold ground as he clasped his aching part. He trembled in rage. _They have no right to do this…_He ignored the pain and tried to stand up. He heard voices and shouts but he didn't mind them too much. All he wanted to do was hurt and rip those people apart. He was grabbed by the shoulder and this time, he put all his strength to his fist and flung it to his captor. His fist was stopped midway and his body was slammed against the cold wall again…

…But it didn't hurt. He opened his eyes despite the stinging and he had wanted to die immediately when he saw the very least person he wanted to see at the moment. His vision blurred and his consciousness was slipping. He grabbed onto something and felt the soft fabric against his fingers. Warmth spread all over his body at the contact.

"Sasuke…"

"Shut up dobe."

And he did. The next thing he knew, he felt something warm covered his lips…

**To be continued…**

**Author's Notes:**

Your reviews mean the world to me, believe me (winks) A million thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. Please tell me what you think. It will really help me a lot. And I also want to know if the characters are OOC… Thanks again for reading…

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	3. Conflicting Emotions

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and Sasuke are not mine and I don't make profit out of this.

**Pairings:** Need to say more?

**Warnings:** Alternate Universe. College fic. SasuNaru fluff and more.

**Summary:** SasuNaru. Sasuke's life revolved only around himself. But when rivals appeared, how long will he able to deny the only person who managed to turn his world upside down. NejiNaru, GaaNaru.

_**Blue Sky**_

**Chapter Three**

**Conflicting Emotions**

* * *

_The falling debris did not make much sound as it joined the pile of burning paper and wood. The sound of his erratic heartbeat droned out the cries around him and his vision was clouded by smoke and red mass of fire. Naruto struggled to his feet. He had fallen down, his back painfully smashing against the wall when a shelf, twelve feet tall, toppled down a minute or so ago. He was lucky it missed him by mere centimeters. He pushed down one knee against the wooden floor to aid him in standing, and noted that he was badly shaking._

_**I won't die like this!**_

_He ignored the painful throb coming from his right arm where a burning wood might had cut through. The wetness seeping into his clothes became noticeable. He leaned on the wall to catch his breath as he strained his eyes to see past the gray smoke and fallen ledges. He was coughing roughly; his lungs seemed to be as strained as his body was. Breathing shallowly, he forced his legs to move and tread the only path not yet ruined by the fire. He had tripped a few times over chips of woods and books but not once did he stop._

_**I'll prove to everyone I'm not weak!**_

Naruto blinked. He had woken up to find himself lying on a familiar cushion. His body still ached from the blows he had received but at the moment, all he wanted was some water. He ignored the stinging and propped his body with his arms, hissing in pain and discomfort at the contact.

"Naruto!"

He blinked back in surprise.

"Ne-ji?" He croaked out. _I really **need** some water._

The pale-eyed Hyuuga immediately made his way to the still struggling blonde, plopping down on the side of the bed to aid him in sitting up.

"…need…water…" He mumbled weakly and Neji was gone in a second. He closed his eyes for a moment and regulated his breathing. When he had opened them, Neji was already beside him with a glass of water and an anxious look. Naruto gave him a grateful smile. He drank all the contents of the glass and Neji had to fetch water two more times before his thirst was fully quenched. When he placed the empty glass on the desk beside the bed, he was already grinning albeit quite strained.

Neji didn't say anything but the look he was giving made Naruto shift uncomfortably on his bed.

._...My bed?_

"Neji, what am I doing here?" He remembered what happened back in the alley with painful (he flinched inwardly) clarity but he didn't remember walking or being dragged into his apartment.

Neji gave him a strange look as if he was contemplating whether to tell him the truth or lie. Naruto fixed him an intense glare. He did want to know how the hell he managed to get here safe and whole.

After a few more seconds of staring (and glaring in Naruto's case), Neji finally gave in.

"I found you outside the Student Council Office. You were unconscious." Naruto's eyes almost bulged out from their sockets.

"What?" He burst out and he felt a painful twitch in his throat. He coughed loudly and Neji had to get another glass of water to stop him from coughing.

"You don't need to shout Naruto."

His face heated up a little at that. _I need to calm down. _

"How did I end there?" He asked although at the back of his mind, a conclusion was being formed already.

Neji shook his head.

"I don't know. I saw you leaning on the wall outside of the office. I tried to wake you up…" Neji's voice trailed down.

"…but you didn't…"

"I…" Naruto looked at him but he had hidden his eyes away from him through his dark hair.

"…carried you and brought you here."

Naruto felt his body give in. He slumped soundly on his bed, eyes trailed on the white painted ceiling with orange and red streaks…

When he first moved in his apartment, he had tried to convince Kabuto (one of the servants of his aunt that was asked watch over him) to paint the walls and the ceiling. He had wanted to paint them orange but _glassie _(as he liked to call him) refused and had insisted orange was not just suitable. In the end, he had only managed to smear small amounts of his favorite color when the other man was busy painting the far side of the wall.

He glanced at Neji, who then had finally raised his face to regard him. When their eyes met, his face broke into a huge and genuine smile.

"Thanks Neji." _…for the trouble you went through. _He added in his thoughts.

He broke the contact and thoughtfully looked at the ceiling again, trying to hide his flushed face. After all, he was not used to this kind of emotion. 'People caring' was rare. Something he had only wished and…hoped. He smiled broadly.

_But I can get used to this feeling._

"Naruto." He was looking at his friend, still contemplating on how he could care for him, when Neji suddenly leaned down on him, clamping his hands on both sides of his shoulders, and pulled him rather painfully (he had bruises on his shoulders too!) towards his chest. His eyes widened in surprise and momentary confusion.

* * *

Neji pulled Naruto towards him and felt his heart squeezed at the contact.

_I…_

"NEJI!"

…_I can't help it!_

But Neji was not listening. When Naruto had somewhat recovered from the shock, he started poking him hard on the side a few times.

"Neji?"

When Neji _still_ hadn't let go. He started to squirm and wiggle his way out of Neji's arms.

The blonde head was wriggling out of him that Neji instinctively tightened his grip on Naruto's shoulders with one hand as the other crawled onto the blonde hair, pushing Naruto further into his chest. He felt the shorter boy stiffened then squirmed in his arms. The sensation that it brought made him snapped out of his reverie and that was when he became aware of their positions.

_What am I doing?_

In a flash, he let go of Naruto and stood up, his back facing him in embarrassment.

"What the hell Neji? Are you trying to kill me?" The blonde's arms latched across his chest and neck protectively. His face was flushed and so was his neck. His blonde hair was an utter mess that Neji had almost smiled if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation.

_Why won't you say anything?_

Neji's back became rigid. After a brief silence where only Naruto's muttering can be heard, he cast a sideway glance at the blonde, eyes trailed on the narrow hallway of Naruto's apartment that lead to the small kitchen, and spoke in a somewhat restrained voice.

"You should eat, Naruto."

_Why won't you tell me what happened?_

Naruto stopped on the middle of his mumbling to look at him. He regarded him curiously as if telling him that he hadn't answered his question nor explained his odd behavior.

_Naruto…_

He turned his back fully on him once again and made a casual shrug. He started to walk towards the main door.

"Oi! Neji! You okay?" The blonde shouted at him in quite a high-pitched voice.

_Sometimes, I don't understand you._

He stopped and turned around, casting his friend a small smile and ignoring Naruto's burning face.

"Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that, Naruto?"

_You're simple minded…_

"Hmp! Whatever you say! You're not acting like yourself today." Naruto brusquely crossed his arms across his chest and put up a pouting face, eyes averted far away from Neji.

_Predictable…_

"Eat. Then go back to sleep, Naruto."

Naruto 'Hmph!'ed again and stuck out his tongue, still refusing to meet his eyes.

_Immature…_

Neji frowned a little.

_But inside…_

…_you hide a lot of things._

"I'll be going now." His frown was wiped out from his features when Naruto spared him a quick glance.

_I'll give you time to sort things out._

"Take care of yourself." He added as he walked further away.

"Whatever." The blonde muttered.

_I too need some time to sort out my **real** feelings._

Naruto plopped back on the bed, his arms folded behind his head.

He stopped on his tracks, which was a feet away from the door, when he heard Naruto cleared his throat. He waited patiently for him to continue.

"…thanks." The loudmouthed mumbled almost incoherently.

Neji smiled again. With a final look at his friend, he reached for the knob and let himself out into the cool night air.

* * *

Naruto jerked up as soon as his alarm clock had started ringing madly. After all, he had slept for (he glanced at the time and mentally calculated)…12 hours already. He reached for the small button on top of the clock that read 8:00 AM and pressed it lightly before slumping back into the comforts of his bed once again. Shortly, after Neji left last night, he felt tremendous weariness and had immediately fallen asleep after closing his eyes. Now, he had to pray the price of lying down for too long. He forced the last trace of sleepiness away as he removed the blanket from him and sat up, massaging his stiff neck and shoulders and tilting his head sideways a couple of times.

The loud grumble of his stomach pierced the silence of his apartment. He grinned sheepishly. He stood up, wobbling a little, and made his way outside his bedroom. The usual smell that never failed to remove any trace of his sleepiness was absent and that was when he noticed a small paper stuck on the refrigerator under a magnet. Limping, he approached the appliance and snatched the paper. It was from Kiba. Apparently, his childish-rebellious-show was over and his sister had fetched him yesterday together with his belongings and Akamaru (he noted again the absence of the foul smell).

Crumpling the paper into a ball and tossing it into the trash bin, he went to the kitchen and retrieved instant ramen from the cupboard. After pouring hot water into the cup, he reached for the utensils from the counter and settled for his small dining table. Staring into space, he waited for the noodle to cook up. When it finally did, he began to slurp the noodles loudly and eagerly (he had missed dinner) and thanked the Gods that his first class was at 10. He had ample time for _anything_.

_Maybe I should start looking for a job._

But the thought did not appeal to him. After he finished eating, he washed the dishes he had left yesterday morning and the pot Neji had used last night (he forgot to eat the broth Neji made and it had been spoiled to his horror). A particular brunette immediately occupied his thoughts.

Neji had acted weird yesterday. He was not usually that transparent and…emotional and he certainly does not hug people…and him… His face burned at the memory.

_Why did people suddenly want to get **physical** with me? _

Refusing to go further beyond that line of thought, he finished the dishes with amazing speed and settled on his couch to catch anything worth-watching on the television.

* * *

"Over here!"

Naruto smiled broadly, his long canine protruding slightly from his mouth as he made his way towards a group of guys under the shade of a tree.

His first class was biology lab with Shizune-sensei again, but this time, Kiba was not in her class. He had spent _three_ horrible hours inside that smelly laboratory. His appetite might have been lost after the period (which happened to be lunch time) if it weren't for a fact that he was…well…Naruto. He quickly trudged the sloping path towards the group and slapped Kiba's back playfully (and rather hardly) when he reached them.

Shikamaru nodded in acknowledgement as it was too troublesome for him to communicate with Naruto verbally. He had always been curious as to where Naruto gets his never-ending energy. But he refused to ask because that would be troublesome as well. Chouji lifted his head and hand briefly from his potato pack to give Naruto a wave and immediately plunged his head inside again, loud crunching sounds echoing in Naruto's ears. He chuckled heartily.

"Sorry man, I have to move out yesterday without waiting for you." Kiba said to him.

"Heh, I didn't notice the note you gave me until I failed to smell Akamaru." He replied, grinning.

"Akamaru does _not_ smell bad." Kiba retorted hotly. Shikamaru dropped his hands from the back of his head to cover his ears. _They are starting again._

But Naruto appeared to be not listening. "I wonder where he gets his smell…"

Kiba's ears and nose emitted steam. Sensing immediate bloodshed, Shikamaru decided to stop the two before they start dismembering each other's body. He crossed his arms against his chest and looked at Naruto. _This is so troublesome._

"Oi, Naruto, what happened to you yesterday?" He asked nonchalantly.

Naruto immediately dropped his fists to look at Shikamaru. Kiba however remained unconcerned. It seemed that Naruto's sense of humor had finally struck a _sensitive_ nerve.

"Yesterday? What do you mean?" He eyed Shikamaru suspiciously.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and leaned back on the tree.

"Don't look at me like that. I heard the girls talking (or gossiping) about _the Hyuuga_ carrying an unconscious blonde boy. It was you, right?"

Kiba's ears perked at that. Even Chouji stopped to swallow the chips that were overflowing his mouth.

"Man, what happened?" Kiba asked, deciding to get back at Naruto later. This was far more interesting.

Naruto debated on himself if he should tell them the truth or lie that he was not that blonde. Feeling exhausted suddenly, he forced a grin and chuckled loudly.

"What the hell are you talking about? I was at the…ice cream parlor after school." He said, scratching the back of his head. He walked further into the shade and sat down on the dry grass, beside Shikamaru.

"I need a job." He said aloud, shifting the topic away from a _certain_ blonde.

Shikamaru opened his eyes at that. He eyed Naruto skeptically but chose not to push the subject.

"My uncle's gaming shop was in need of some help."

Naruto looked at him expectantly.

"You think you can handle kids and annoying high schoolers?" He asked.

"Yosh!"

_I should have known._

"That won't be a problem!" Naruto grinned happily.

_**Nothing** fazes Naruto._

"Man, that's tough." Kiba made a terrified face as he imagined annoying pests called kids running around the shop.

"You can handle Akamaru but you can't handle some brats? You're losing your touch Kiba." He grinned maliciously at the suddenly pumped-up Kiba (after hearing Akamaru's name) and readied himself for some brawling.

Shikamaru sighed tiredly.

_Here we go again…_

* * *

"The Org Recruitment Week is in two weeks. I guess it's better if we distribute the notification forms to the presidents of the different organizations as early as possible." The Secretary of the Student Activities, Hisoka Takamura, suggested.

After meeting for lunch, the Student Council representatives had been busy addressing various matters and issues concerning the start of the new school year. Every year, it had been the task of the Student Council to organize the week-long activity of recruiting new members of the different organizations and also to make sure these organizations won't be violating any of the rules of the university.

Hyuga Neji nodded. "I'll give you until Friday to make sure that all the org presidents have received the letters. Feedbacks are necessary." He sternly reminded Hisoka, who nodded nervously as though his life depended on the said task.

"Yamanaga, the forms?" He directed his question to a girl with long blonde hair.

_Reminds me of someone…_

Yamanaga Ino, Secretary for Documentation, reached for the bundle of papers on her desk and handed them to Neji, that same flirtatious smile present on her pretty face. Scared as everyone else of the Hyuuga's authority, that didn't stop her from wanting to gain his attention by giving him suggestive looks. To her disappointment (again), the president did not notice or chose not to notice the hints she was giving him. She slumped back on her chair quite dejectedly, not knowing which explantionw was better.

Neji forced a certain blonde out of his mind.

_Not now. I have to focus._

He reached for the forms and scanned them swiftly to check if Yamanaga got them right. The bundle contained the request forms for org formation. The job of the president of the SC was to go over the forms and study them. Every school year, a maximum of five new organizations would be allowed to be formed. Seeing the numerous papers there were in his hands, he submitted himself to the long and tedious task ahead of him.

The silence of the room was broken by a soft knock on the door. Hisoka Takamura who was sitting the nearest, stood up to open the door. After a minute or so of conversing with whoever was outside the door, he came back to tell Sakuno Kagayami, Vice President, that she was being called by the dean of her college. Not wanting to repeat to her whatever will be discussed on her absence, Neji decided to call a break until her return. The usual tension was immediately broken when Yamanga Ino went into full gossip mode.

He put down the forms and decided to go outside, not wanting to here Yamanaga's squealing. Stepping out into the noisy hallway, he almost regretted his choice. But when he heard the loud bantering of the students as they exited their classrooms, a particular loud blonde came back in his mind.

_I wonder what Naruto is doing now?_

Smart as he was, he had memorized Naruto's schedule in less than a minute when he showed him his Enrollment Assessment Form.

_Art class…_

He frowned. Naruto could be anywhere in an Art Class. He could be in the classroom, or the field, or the gym, or the study hall, or canteen. His frown deepened. Seeing that there was no point in going out if he didn't know Naruto's whereabouts, he decided to go back and just start with the forms. A vein throbbed in his forehead when Yamanaga winked at him seductively as he entered the room.

_Yamanaga is really testing my patience._

* * *

Naruto lied down on the soft grass beside the tree, the one he had been earlier with his friends, and crossed his arms behind his head to serve as his pillow. He looked above the sky as if seeking for inspiration, his blank canvas temporarily forgotten beside him together with his set of paint and brushes.

Kakashi sensei, his _weird_ (and perverted) art teacher told them to go to a place where they can draw comfortably. Not knowing a lot of places where he can go to, he found himself trekking the familiar slope.

He sighed contentedly. The cool breeze crossed his face gently and for a while he laid there unmoving, just letting the wind caressed his lashes, the whiskers on both sides of his cheeks and the blonde bangs that made their way to his face no matter how many times he tucked them behind his ears.

"Hmmm… What will I draw?" he whispered to himself. He had always adored comics and cartoons that's why he took the course. He even had his own creations hidden somewhere in his apartment.

_Hmmm…_

He closed his eyes and let his imagination soar free. He knew he was not a very creative person. He also had no plans of competing against the others. All Naruto wanted was to draw and being able to do just that freely was enough for him.

Finally, an idea struck him and he grinned sheepishly. He sat up quickly and set the canvas in front of him. After thinking for a few more minutes, he started to make some light sketches, cursing loudly when he got something wrong.

Time flew fast for Naruto and by the time the class ended (as the bell had rung), he was just half finished and he still didn't feel like going home. Kakashi sensei had told them before they left the room that they could stay longer if they want. He seemed not to care much for he was so engrossed in a tiny book that shouted "Porn!"

Naruto decided to stay until he finished. After a long while, he fell on his back with a loud thud; his tired arms spread widely and a bright grin plastered on his exhausted features.

Casting a proud look on his artwork, he checked the time and had almost jumped. It was already 5:30. He had been drawing for four hours! He forced his body to sit up and once again looked at the canvas, pink tingeing his perfectly tanned cheeks. Brushing away his embarrassment and convincing himself that it was for the _sake_ of art, he picked up his littered things and started to clean up.

His peace was soon interrupted by a group of girls passing by.

"..but I saw him _first_!"

It was hard to ignore them and hear what they were talking about at the degree of pitch they were using to each other.

"…don't be selfish Sakuya."

He muted their voices and continued placing his painting materials inside his backpack.

"…Whatever you guys say."

He slung his bag against his back and picked up the canvas, the smile never leaving his face.

"…Uchiha Sasuke is mine!"

Naruto froze.

"Well! _When_ did you _see_ him?" Another high-pitched voice joined.

Naruto spun around and looked at them, eyes wide open. The girls had already settled on the grass just a few feet away from him. The girl with a black hair in pigtails blushed as her companions looked at her expectantly. To his surprise, Naruto found himself listening quite attentively, his heart pounding loudly inside his chest.

"Well, I…"

"Tell us! Sakuya!"

"Umm, I kind of sneaked in the dojo." The girl finished embarrassedly.

_Dojo?_

"Oh my God, you really did that!"

"Oh, so he was really _that_ kendo star?"

"And he was really strong!" The pig-tailed girl had already recovered herself from embarrassment and was now sporting a proud, superior look.

After that, Naruto heard no more.

* * *

The kendo club had never been that motivated and active before. Lee grinned happily, his teeth flashing dazzlingly (and painfully to those who saw it at the wrong angle) as he made his way into the changing room. He had been in the kendo club for a year already but it was his first time to see Gai-sensei so pumped up and more cheerful than ever. He made his way to his locker, pushed the right buttons on the lock and with a click, he pulled it open and drag his green duffel bag out. He was already changing to his tight green pants and green shirt when he heard a grunt beside him.

_Uchiha Sasuke._

Lee peered beside him and almost fell over at what he saw. Uchiha Sasuke's locker was _overflowing_ with brightly colored stuffs ranging from pink scented letters, wrapped gifts, chocolate bars with ribbons tied around the middle, lollipops, flowers (Eh!) and red heart-shaped balloons. He gazed longingly at all the stuff there.

Uchicha Sasuke groaned irritably when some of the things started to slide down.

He shook his head to dismiss his thoughts and cleared his throat.

"Do you need help Sasuke-kun?" He asked politely.

Sasuke just shook his head and in a minute had scooped up in his arms everything in there except the balloons and his bag. Lee pitied the pile of love letters, gifts, flowers and big yummy chocolate bars as they descended Sasuke's arms and fell straight into the trash bin. Sasuke rubbed his nose in disgust as the strong strawberry scent and various combined aromas filled the locker room. After making sure that the letters were buried deep inside the bin, he went back to his locker and then after a while calmly settled down on the bench. He held the balloons in one hand and a pen in the other with the cap already gotten off. Lee flinched at the popping noises of the balloons exploding.

He sighed in relief after the last balloon lost its air. He had no idea how Sasuke's fangirls _managed_ to sneak in the dojo and even managed to _open_ his locker. But even though they had sneaked in and intruded Sasuke's private place, it was still not reasonable for him to just throw away all those stuff.

_Oh, well…How will I know what Sasuke-kun's feelings are? I never had a girl chasing me before._

He immediately stopped sulking as more people entered the changing room. He glanced at Sasuke. One of the reasons why the kendo club was very enthusiastic was because of Uchiha Sasuke. He had been a kendo star already at the young age of eight and was considered as one of the best in the country according to sports magazines. Because of his _tensai_ abilities in kendo, the kendo club of Konoha University had suddenly become popular. That's the reason why Gia-sensei had decided to double the toughness and the number of hours of their training. He wanted to make sure they'll be the champions this year.

He suddenly felt enthusiastic again at the thought of the championships. He liked everybody's spirit during the training. Grinning happily again and brandishing his pearly white teeth to everyone in the room (as people squirmed and winced at the very unusual sparkle), he finished changing and stuffed his white kendo attire inside his green bag.

The changing room broke into excited talks and moans as more people flowed in. They will surely need a larger space to accommodate the new members this year.

_Gai-sensei must be very ecstatic._

His observation was abruptly interrupted by a loud bang. He peered curiously at the door and was surprised at the cause of the disturbance. His thick eyebrows furrowed in interest.

A blonde guy, probably shorter than him, was standing breathlessly at the place where the door had been (He spotted the door lying down a feet away from him). But what caught Lee's attention were the bright blue orbs this guy possessed. They were so intense and they looked as though they held so many different emotions at just one look. His balled-fists and white knuckles also looked disturbing.

No one moved. Lee looked around the room and noticed that his expression was mirrored on their faces as well. His eyes landed on Sasuke who to his surprise had his one eyebrow raised and _was that a smirk?_

Lee cleared his throat and slowly approached the guy, giving enough space between them in case he decided to attack him.

"Um, Hi!" He started. The blonde looked at him and to his confusion, the guy's expression turned into that of surprise, pretty much like his own a moment ago. The blonde then straightened up and mumbled something incoherently, face tingeing a faint pink.

Lee decided then that the guy was not dangerous. He grinned, blinding the shorter guy temporarily with the bright sparkles of his perfect teeth.

"Hi, I'm Lee, a sophomore, and a member of the Konoha Kendo Club. May I help you with something?"

"I…I guess…I'm looking for someone?" He said hesitantly.

"May I know his name?" He asked politely.

But the blonde did not answer back. He seemed to be staring (widely) at him. No. Not at him. He followed his gaze and he almost had a heart attack when it landed on Uchiha Sasuke. As if on cue, a loud thunder broke out, illuminating the dim-lit room with a frightening glow. Lee shivered slightly. He met Sasuke's gaze and the tension around the room seemed to be intensified. Thinking quickly, he shouted for everybody to hear.

"It's going to rain _soon_. How about we head out all together _now_?"

This effectively broke the tension. People started to converse loudly again as they poured quickly out of the changing room, some had their bags slung on their shoulders and the others were dragging them on the ground as they were too tired to carry them. Sasuke's eyes met his again in a silent 'thank you', though he was not very sure. He was about to grin and mouthed that it was nothing when Sasuke averted his gaze away from him.

_I should leave as well._

He approached the bench near his locker to get his bag and quickly spared a look at the two guys (who looked like they were having a staring or a glaring match).

Lee sweat dropped. Whatever's going to happen, he didn't want to linger long enough to witness it. With a heave at his green duffel bag, he slung the strap over his shoulder and quickly walked towards the doorway. He picked the door lying on the floor with foot marks all over it, pulled it up and fitted it back into the door frame. Casting another curious look at the two unmoving boys, he gave a silent prayer that they won't damage the room too much that it will be beyond repair. On a second thought, he prayed that they won't damage the room. Period.

* * *

The door closed behind Lee and only Naruto's ragged breathing could be heard inside the room. Sasuke smirked. The pissed-off blonde instinctively balled up his fists, itching to wipe that smirk off that pale, arrogant face.

Another lightning cut through outside followed by the loud thunder. Big drops of rain started to fall rapidly against the roof of the dojo.

"What do you want?" After a while, Sasuke spoke, his voice giving away nothing for Naruto to interpret.

Naruto fidgeted. _Yeah, what do I want?_

He continued to glare at Sasuke. He did not know how to answer that question. He admitted that he had acted a bit rashly and…mindlessly.

_Grrhh, what to do? What to do?_

Sasuke frowned.

"You broke the door for what?"

He snapped out of his dilemma upon hearing the broken door and made a face at Sasuke.

"It's not my fault the door's easily broken!" He retaliated. He didn't do anything, _honestly_.

He heard the other guy snorted.

"Hmp! I don't care what you think." He replied lamely.

"What do you want?" Sasuke repeated.

_Back to question number 1…_

He glared menacingly at him.

_Fine! Let's get this over with!_

He took a deep breath and waited for the thunder to subside down before speaking.

"Why did you do _that_?" He emphasized the last word.

Sasuke looked at him confusedly.

"That?"

He gripped his knuckles firmly he was sure they were turning white.

"That!" He shouted. This guy was making things complicated for him.

"And don't make me say it!" He added in a threat. Sasuke snorted again.

"Then don't be an idiot." He turned around and walked towards an open locker.

_What does he mean by that?_

But he stopped in his thoughts when a particular word registered to him.

"Don't call me an idiot asshole!" He shouted at the tops of his lungs, matching the roars of thunder outside and the thud-thud noise of the raindrops falling hard from the sky.

He watched Sasuke pulled a black bag from the locker and placed it on the bench. To his utter surprise, the pale guy started to loosen his…_skirt?_

Naruto suddenly panicked, about what he was not sure. He spun around quickly and made his way to the door, face suddenly heating up.

_The hell with this bastard! I don't care anymore!_

But he was stopped rather forcefully when suddenly, the door flew open with extreme force and hit him square on the face. He fell face down on the ground, his head swirling and his nose probably bleeding from the impact.

"Where is the intruder?" Gai-sensei stepped into the room with a _bokuto_ and looked questioningly at Sasuke. When Sasuke shrugged uncaringly, he scanned the room quickly and jerked away when he saw a body lying down on the floor infront of him, unmoving.

"Eh, you already captured him Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke noticed he looked disappointed.

He did not answer immediately. He had already removed his _hakama_ and _keiko-gi_ and was now wearing his school uniform. He stuffed his kendo uniform inside his backpack, slung the straps on his shoulders and went over to Gai-sensei and the loudmouthed.

The blonde was not unconscious; his eyes were just closed tightly as his brain was still recovering from the impact. Sasuke grunted irritably before grasping one arm tightly.

"Yes, Gai-sensei."

"I'll turn him over to the guards." And just like that, he disappeared through the door, dragging the poor body with him.

* * *

**To be continued…**

A/N: How about a review, ne? Reviews and constructive criticisms will be very much appreciated. Domo Arigato Gozaimasu for reading!

Terminologies:

_Kendo _is the modern martial art of Japanese fencing, developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship.

_Bokuto_ is wooden katana used by the practitioners.

_Keiko-gi_ also called kendo-gi or do-gi, is a jacket-like garment made of thickly quilted cotton fabric suitable for kendo practice.

_Hakama_ resembles a pleated skirt in its outward appearance, but is actually a trouser-like garment with individual pant legs.


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